Children's books: 1001 inspiring looks at great books

Brandy Hilboldt Allport

Tuesday

Nov 24, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Readers expect to encounter Babar, Mike Mulligan, Madeline, Eloise, Curious George and Corduroy in a resource called "1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up." However, any readers looking for fresh ideas will find it here, right next to the old guard.

"In Syracuse, where I was born, I had Mickey Mouse and Flash Gordon comic books. In Germany, I read 'Der Struwwelpeter.' It contains 10 stories and poems, some instructive, some gruesome ... I don't think 'Struwwelpeter' would be popular nowadays, but the stories were so exaggerated, I understood it wasn't true.

"Books are wonderful and we should read to our children, but there are many ways to tell stories. You can pick up the phone book, find a listing for a plumber and ask 'What does a plumber do?' and then tell a story about a plumber. Whether it's the Yellow Pages or a well-known book, I think it is important ... to take your child into your lap ... and read a story."

"Before You Grow Up" is engaging and enlightening material for any age. Reproductions of covers or main illustrations that appear with reviews or summaries add to the depth of the material. Writers from all over the world contributed, and Julia Eccleshare edited it all. She is book editor at The Guardian and a recipient of the 2000 Eleanor Farjohn Award for outstanding contributions to children's publishing. Quentin Blake, who has illustrated more than 300 children's books for writers such as Russell Hoban, Michael Rosen and, most notably, Roald Dahl, provided the preface. This well-organized book includes an index by title as well as an author and illustrator index.

Other highlights, like the one from Eric Carle, include Jean Craighead George ("Julie of the Wolves") commenting on the work of Mark Twain. "... at about the age of 10 ... I was inspired to climb down rainspouts to avoid taking an afternoon nap. ... Later, as a writer, 'Huckleberry Finn' taught me to observe people, places, plants, and animals ... I don't know of any novel that has influenced more writers ..."

Darren Shan ("The Demonata Series") explains why he loves Neil Gaiman's 2008 release, "The Graveyard Book." Shan describes it as "a magical tale of learning to grow up and stand on your own feet ... [it] celebrates youth ... and stresses the need to mature and move on with your life in order to experience all that the world has to offer."

From "Just Annoying!" by Andy Griffiths and "Something's Fishy, Hazel Green" by Odo Hirsch to "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Forbes and "Tar Beach" by Faith Ringgold, this book has irresistible range and appeal.

New and notable

Even more that is fit to print: Whatever you are doing, stop. Want to snag the best seat at a big game or find the latest Web sites about musical trends? "The New York Times Practical Guide to Practically Everything" can (as its title indicates) help. Yes, we know Google is great, but this book is 880 pages of pure information with no pop-ups and the most reliable sources available. Consult it and proceed with plans.

The subtitle, "Essential Companion to Everyday Life" appears in red letters on the cover below an image of a Swiss Army knife: simple, direct, appropriate. This is the updated, second edition of this book, and it costs $32.99 from St. Martin's Press.

Kudos

Poodle on the scene: First Coast author Lois Simon, author of picture books such as "Mac: The Story of the Happy Apple," "Moo Moo" and "Lefty and Righty" has a new title available. "Winnie the Poodle," which she wrote and illustrated, is out in hardback from Jacksonville Beach-based publisher High Pitched Hum. The 46-page book costs $14.95.

Read All About It is a column about literature for children and young adults. Send notes to brandy. allport@jacksonville.com.

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